Army college

The pictures in the leaflet reflect on the target audience because they can get an idea of what they will be doing in the army. The photos show people of different gender and race doing different activities in various environments. Each photo has been cleverly put together to give messages to the audience e.g. the picture in the bottom left is showing a student learning about electronics construction with some machinery equipment which is showing that not all aspects of the army are on fitness and marching drills – there is mental skill involved. There is also a hand pointing and helping the student, this shows there will be guidance and more experienced people there to help.

Another photo shows a female smiling and reading something. This bring across the message that women are welcome in the army and can also enjoy themselves and be successful. In the background of this photo you can see two other people sitting down talking and laughing, perhaps in a common room. This stops people from thinking that the army is really strict with personel permanently working them under stress and pressure – you will also have some time to do your own thing. These photos appeal to the audience because they want to know what to expect in the army.

The use of language in the text isn’t really formal but is quite chatty, informative and understandable. The main text is written in ‘question and answer’ form and leaves the target audience with no doubts or questions in their minds because it is all very relevant to what school leavers would want to know. It covers all subjects from religious advisors to quitting the Army. The questions are written in bold type to stand out although the font is still rather small. The fonts used in the pamphlet are very plain but easy to read.

The army are trying to entice school leavers to go to their army college rather than their local college because it will prepare them well for a career in their armed force. The pamphlet makes you think that you would be well looked after with plenty of opportunities and aren’t missing out on anything by going to a local college but are gaining more by going to an Army college. The Army radio advertisement relies only on sound to attract the audience’s attention. In most radio adverts background music is used to attract the listener but throughout the Army advert there is no background noise and between each sound is silence. I think this grasps the audience’s attention even more and also gets the message across very clear because there is no background music to distract them.

A similar voice to that used in the Royal Navy television advertisement with a rough, deep, Londoner’s accent speaks out of the silence quite raspy and quickly, but still manages to be clear. The use of language in the advert is very informal e.g. “You got that?” The word ‘you’ is used quite frequently throughout the advert which makes the listener pay attention to what is being said because they are referring to ‘you’ – the listener. He talks to you as though you’re undercover with him on an important mission hiding somewhere. This gives you a sense of excitement and danger.

In a way it is quite a fun challenging advert because it gives you a test about whether you think the tank approaching you is enemy and you have to blow it up, or friend. It also gives a scary prospect of being in that position and having other people’s lives in your hands. The audience get an impression of the importance and responsibilities in decisions that army members have to make – in seconds. Also concentrates on how army applicants can be taught new skills such as listening for enemy ships.

The advert also talks about a new missile weapon that ‘you’ are in possession of, which again lets you know how well equipped the army are with new weapons. The slogan at the end of the advert “Army soldier be the best” successfully concludes the advert by suggesting that to be in the army is to be the best. This also uses alliteration to create a slogan that stays in your head. By having a bullet sound effect just before this slogan makes it stand out from the rest of the speech.

The R.A.F.’s (Royal Air Force) careers website (www.rafcareers.co.uk/flash) Shows good 3D pictures with movement and angles which grasps attention. The page is all set out in the R.A.F’s colours (white background, red, blue, and grey.) The R.A.F. symbol of a target is shown at the top of the page with a slogan in bold is “Royal Air Force. Rise above the rest.” This slogan uses alliteration and suggests that being in the R.A.F. makes you better than all the others. A pun is also used as the word ‘Rise’ also relates to flying up in the air. Again by using a pun is is deflecting from the seriousness of the services which sometimes puts young people off.

The web page holds a lot of information with everything you’d want to know but doesn’t come across as overcrowded because of white background (with faint simple grey pictures of a plane and the symbol.) Also the font is reasonably small, yet clear. The website is very easy to follow and the subtitles are all written in capitals so they stand out. In the centre of the page is a welcoming message encouraging you to look further. Underneath this are simple, easy instructions on how the reader can use the site to their benefit. The ‘Main Menu’ allows the reader to move quickly and easily within the site. Despite all of this just for reassurance they have a rhyming sentence at the base of the page ” If you lose your way, don’t worry, just press ‘MAYDAY.'” As well as using rhyme this, like the slogan, relates to flying because if you’re in trouble on a plane you call “Mayday” into the radio.

Rather than trying to target a particular age group on the website they have targeted a particular interest i.e. planes and travelling. They have referred to longitude and latitude at different places around the R.A.F. base. The website also allows you to navigate the R.A.F. centre and look at the different careers available and what qualifications you need and how old you have to be. Anyone interested in the R.A.F. would find this site very useful and interesting. Even the most inexperienced users of computers and the internet could find their way around the site.